What is marketing strategy? I see a lot of opinion about this in my travels, and not all of it is positive. People who think it’s a buzz word used by consultants. People who disagree with the concept of marketing because it feels salesy and gross. People who are overwhelmed by the idea of networking.

Today, I give you my definition: Marketing is putting your brand, idea, or business out there for others to become aware of it.   There are a lot of ways to do that. When you have a cohesive plan for how you are going to do that outreach, you have a marketing strategy.

#Marketing is putting your brand, idea, or business out there for others to become aware of it. Share on X

Marketing is not about putting a “buy it now” sticker on a product or service. Marketing is about starting or continuing a conversation.

It is important to recognize that your product, service, brand, or idea is going to benefit somebody out there. That somebody is your target market. They want to know about what you offer, because that offer may solve a problem or make their lives better in some way. If done correctly, telling them about what you do is GOOD for them…and you. The first step in creating a marketing strategy is to find those people.

#Marketing is about starting or continuing a conversation. #smallbusiness #business #smb Share on X

Once you know your target market, now make sure that your brand and your message will speak clearly to those people. It’s great that you know you can help them, but they need to know it, too. Then find out where your target market is and how to communicate with them. When you have answered all these questions, you know how to be effective and efficient in your marketing strategy. Read here for some guidelines on marketing with purpose to reach your target market.

Sick of thinking about marketing, because it immediately draws associations to Facebook? Or AdWords? Or public speaking? Or video streaming platforms? Or referral programs?

Well, how about these marketing methods?

  • Having a conversation with a friend where you mention what you are up to in your business.
  • Wearing the jewelry you designed.
  • Whistling a jingle on public transport.
  • Going to a happy hour and mentioning what you do when someone asks.
  • Wearing a shirt with a logo on it.
  • Thanking someone for being an awesome customer.
  • Putting up a sign on your store front with your business name on it.
  • Offering a discount on your services to another business owner with a similar market.

When you try to define what is marketing strategy, even some of these outside-the-box answers are marketing, too.  There are a lot of ideas out there. It is about picking the ones that you think might be right for you, your business, and your target market. It is about testing out ideas and seeing what works to bring in new business or retain old customers. It is about SPREADING THE WORD!

If you want to better understand the differences and the links between marketing and sales – which is a common question and misconception among small business owners who often have to wear both hats – read here!